PURC urges public to bear with Utility Service Providers

Takoradi, Nov. 2, GNA – Mr. Samuel Kwadwo Sarpong, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), has appealed to the public to bear with utility service providers while they are exploiting avenues of finding lasting solution to the energy crisis.

He made the appeal at a stakeholders’ meeting on the energy crisis organized by the PURC at Takoradi.

Representatives of the utility service providers, industry, business community, media and the general public attended the meeting.

Mr. Sarpong said the current crisis was temporary and could be overcome when the West Africa Gas Pipeline Company resumes supplying the country with gas to generate electricity.

Mr. Sarpong said the utility service providers are putting their facilities in good shape to provide quality services to consumers.

He said, “One of the key mandates of PURC is to ensure the delivery of the highest quality of service by the Utility Service Providers and we are committed to ensuring the achievement of this on a progressive basis”.

Mr. Sarpong said the meeting was aimed at bringing together all stakeholders to dialogue on ways to mitigate the impact of the energy crisis on consumers including industry and the general public.

He said the Commission was of the view that affording the same platform for stakeholders in the industry and other interested parties would lead to a “Convergence of solutions to minimize the debilitating effect of the crisis”.

Mr. Stephen Owusu, a Maintenance Engineer of the Volta River Authority, said a steam turbine at the Aboadze Thermal Plant shut down two years ago had been repaired. The turbine would generate additional 50 megawatts of electricity.

Mr. Owusu said about 132 megawatts of electricity would be produced for the national grid when expansion works at the thermal plant are completed.

He said staff at the thermal plant had to work round the clock to ensure that units start using crude oil when the West Africa Gas Pipeline Company Limited stopped supplying natural gas.

Mr. Godwin Yabamah, an electrical engineer of the Electricity Company of Ghana, said the company was building a 40 Mega Vault Ampere (MVA) capacity sub-station at the Takoradi Harbour to cater for the expansion of the harbor and the Ghana Cement Works Limited.

He said another 40 MVA capacity sub-station was been built at Mpintsin near Takoradi cater for the Free Zone area.

Nana Kobina Nketsia V, Omanhene of Essikado Traditional Area and a former commissioner of PURC, presided.